Method and system for manufacture of multi-segment articles of tobacco industry

ABSTRACT

Method for manufacturing of multi-segment rod-like articles ( 25, 25′, 25 ″) of the tobacco industry in an apparatus ( 2 ) for manufacturing multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″) comprising the steps of: feeding rod-like segments of at least one kind (A, B, C, E, F) constituting a multi-segment rod-like article ( 25, 25′, 25 ″); putting together rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F) in a segments train (ST) on a wrapping material ( 7 ); manufacturing a continuous segment rod (CR′, CR″) or multi-segment rod (CR) containing rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F) wrapped by the wrapping material ( 7 ), whereas the segments are pushed together or cavities are left between the segments; and cutting the continuous segment rod (CR′, CR″) or multi-segment rod (CR) into multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″) containing any combination of H rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F), double rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F) and halves of rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F), whereas at the time of cutting of the continuous multi-segment rod (CR) the multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or the segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″) move in a longitudinal direction (T 1 ); then changing conveying direction of the multi-segment rod ( 6 ) or the segment rod ( 6′, 6 ″) from the longitudinal direction (T 1 ) to a transverse direction (T 2 ), and fixing the end segments (D) to the multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or the segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″), conveyed in the transverse direction (T 2 ) in an end segment fixing apparatus ( 3 ) adapted to manufacture multi-segment rod-like articles ( 25, 25′, 25 ″). The method is characterised in that after the change of the conveying direction of the multi-segment rod ( 6 ) or the segment rod ( 6′, 6 ″) from the longitudinal direction (T 1 ) to the transverse direction (T 2 ), and before fixing the end segment (D), a step of checking quality the manufactured multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or the segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″) is performed at a measuring unit ( 9 ) and defective multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or the segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″) are rejected, next feeding the multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or the segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″) to a compensation unit ( 13 ) for storing the multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or the segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″) and for compensating the rejection of the multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or the segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″), and then feeding the multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or the segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″) from the compensation unit ( 13 ) to the end segment fixing apparatus ( 3 ) so that the end segment fixing apparatus ( 3 ) is continuously fed with the multi-segment rods ( 6 ) or the segment rods ( 6′, 6 ″).

The object of the invention is a method and a system for manufacturing of multi-segment articles of the tobacco industry.

In the tobacco industry, articles for smokers, generally rod-like articles, containing a tobacco or a material formed from by tobacco processing are manufactured, whereas the articles for smokers are usually provided with a filter tip. A filter tip may be made of one kind of filter material or of multiple different filter materials, and its task is to filter the smoke or to transmit the aerosol which is generated in such articles. The articles for smokers are most frequently manufactured on machines on which a continuous rod containing the said tobacco and/or filter elements is formed, after which such continuous rod is cut by means of a cutting head into semi-finished rods which usually have a double length and are cut into two semi-finished parts, i.e. two semi-finished articles, in further manufacturing operations on a filter tipping machine. The filter tipping machine is known among others from the U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,346A and from the patent application DE3706753A1. The cut semi-finished articles are axially parted, and filter-tip rods of a double length are placed between them. The filter-tip rods may be made of a filter material or of a tube-shaped material. After sticking a section of the wrapping material on the end piece of each semi-finished smoking article (each element of the smoking article) and the double filter-tip rod, the rod created in such a way, being a double smoking article, is cut into two individual finished articles. The filter tipping machine feeds the wrapping material sections continuously, i.e. one section of the wrapping material into each groove of a drum conveyor in which the semi-finished smoking articles and the double filter tip are transported, regardless of whether the semi-finished article and the filter rod have been delivered. If the double semi-finished rod is not delivered or if the double filter rod is not fed, a double smoking article is not manufactured, and the unused section of the wrapping material will uncontrollably fall from the drum conveyor causing the contamination of the machine. So the rejection of rods fabricated on the double semi-finished rod manufacturing machine will result in the occurrence of interruptions in the production process on the filter tipping machine and the resulting machine contamination.

In the prior art, there are no known solutions which could be installed on the filter tipping machine in order to avoid the machine contamination or the need to build units which would receive any unused sections of the wrapping material.

The object of the invention is a method for manufacturing of multi-segment rod-like articles of the tobacco industry in an apparatus for the manufacturing of multi-segment or segment rods comprising the steps of: feeding rod-like segments of at least one kind constituting a multi-segment rod-like article; putting together rod-like segments in a segments train on a wrapping material; manufacturing a continuous segment or multi-segment rod containing the rod-like segments wrapped by the wrapping material, whereas the segments are pushed together or cavities are left between the segments; and cutting the continuous segment or multi-segment rod into multi-segment or segment rods containing any combination of rod-like segments, double rod-like segments and halves of rod-like segments, whereas at the time of cutting of the continuous multi-segment rod the multi-segment or the segment rods move in a longitudinal direction; then changing conveying direction of the multi-segment or the segment rod from the longitudinal direction to a transverse direction, and fixing the end segments to the multi-segments rods or the segment rods, conveyed in the transverse direction in an end segment fixing apparatus adapted to manufacture multi-segment rod-like articles. The method of manufacturing is characterised in that after the change of the conveying direction of the multi-segment or the segment rod from the longitudinal direction to the transverse direction, and before fixing the end segment, a step of checking a quality the manufactured multi-segment or the segment rods is performed at a measuring unit and defective multi-segment or the segment rods are rejected, next feeding the multi-segment or the segment rods into a compensation unit for storing multi-segment or the segment rods and for compensating the rejection of multi-segment or the segment rods, and then feeding the multi-segment or the segment rods from the compensation unit to the end segment fixing apparatus so that the end segment fixing apparatus is continuously fed with multi-segment or the segment rods.

Furthermore, the method according to the invention is characterised in that before feeding the multi-segment or segment rods to the measuring unit a step of checking quality of the multi-segment or segment rods is performed at the multi-segment or segment rod manufacturing apparatus, and rejecting defective multi-segment or segment rods.

Furthermore, the object of the invention is a production system for the manufacture of multi-segment rod-like articles comprising: an apparatus for manufacturing multi-segment or segment rods comprising rod-like segments of at least one kind or double rod-like segments or halves of rod-like segments delivered and conveyed in a longitudinal direction, whereas the segments in a continuous multi-segment or segment rod from which the multi-segment or the segment rods are cut are pushed together or cavities are left between the rod-like segments; an apparatus for changing the conveying direction of the multi-segment or the segment rod from the longitudinal to a transverse direction; a measuring unit for checking the quality of manufactured multi-segment or segment rods; a rejection unit for rejecting defective multi-segment or segment rods; and an end segment fixing apparatus adapted to manufacture multi-segment rod-like articles by fixing the end segments to the multi-segment or segment rods conveyed in the transverse direction.

Furthermore, the production system is characterised by comprising a compensation unit for storing multi-segment or segment rods, situated between the measuring unit and the end segment fixing apparatus, adapted to compensate the rejection of multi-segment or segment rods so that the end segment fixing apparatus is continuously fed with the multi-segment or segment rods.

Furthermore, the system according to the invention is characterised in that the multi-segment or the segment rod manufacturing apparatus is provided with a measuring unit and a rejection unit for rejecting defective segment or multi-segment rods.

Due to the application of the solution according to this invention, the efficiency of the production system for manufacturing rod-like articles was successfully increased.

The object of the invention was shown in detail in a preferred embodiment in a drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a production system for manufacturing multi-segment rod-like articles in a top view;

FIG. 2 shows a fragment of the multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus of the production system of FIG. 1 in a front view;

FIG. 3 shows a segments train of a continuous multi-segment rod manufactured at the multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus of the production system of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4a, 4b diagrammatically show a filter tipping apparatus of the production system of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 show example multi-segment rod-like article manufacturing processes accomplished in the production system of FIG. 1;

In this description, the definitions for the following expressions/terms were adopted. The term ‘rod-like segment’ and ‘segment’ may refer to a segment having a final length which will not be divided, a segment which will be divided at a later production stage and a segment which has been previously divided. The expression ‘continuous segment rod’ means a continuous rod comprising segments or double segments of at least one kind. The expression ‘continuous multi-segment rod’ means a continuous rod comprising segments or double segments of at least two kinds. The expression ‘segment rod’ means a rod comprising one segment, a half of a segment or a double segment. The expression ‘multi-segment rod’ means a rod comprising at least two segments of different kinds, halves of such segments or such double segments. The expression ‘multi-segment article’ means an article comprising at least two segments of different kinds, halves of such segments or such double segments.

A production system 1 for manufacturing multi-segment rod-like articles shown in FIG. 1 comprises a multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 and an end segment fixing apparatus 3, whereas in particular the end segment may be a filter tip segment in the manufactured multi-segment rod-like articles. The multi-segment rods manufactured by the multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 comprise segments which in whole or after being cut will constitute a part of the multi-segment rod-like articles manufactured by the production system 1. The multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 may be a modular apparatus, whereas the number of modules depends on the number of rod-like segments of which the manufactured multi-segment rods consist. The multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 may be provided with two feeding modules 2A and 2B for the feeding with two kinds of rod-like segments of the types A and B. Alternatively, the multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 may be provided with feeding modules 2A, 2B and 2C for the feeding with three kinds of rod-like segments (rod-like elements) of the types A, B and C, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1. The multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 may be any multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus, also an apparatus for manufacturing multi-segment rods consisting of a greater number of rod-like segments. The apparatus 2 is an apparatus manufacturing multi-segment rods in the linear technology, at first forming a continuous multi-segment rod CR which is subsequently cut into individual multi-segment rods 6, fed in a longitudinal direction T1. The end segment fixing apparatus 3 is an apparatus at which the rods are conveyed in a transverse direction T2. The production system 1 described above may work in a similar way when the apparatus 2 is provided with one feeding module and is adapted to manufacture segment rods of continuous segment rods comprising segments of one kind.

FIG. 2 shows a fragment of the multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 adapted to manufacture multi-segment rods 6 of the continuous multi-segment rod CR comprising rod-like segments of types A, B and C. The multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 is provided with a forming unit 4 designed to form the continuous multi-segment rod CR. The forming unit 4 comprises wrapping elements designed to wrap the wrapping material 7 and a head designed to feed the glue. Example rod-like segments of the types A, B and C are placed in a fixed sequence on a strip of the wrapping material 7 and are wrapped in the wrapping material 7 so as to manufacture the continuous multi-segment rod CR in which the rod-like segments of the types A, B and C are arranged coaxially one after another. The segments of the types A, B and C may be arranged both without and with gaps between the segments. In the case of manufacture of segment rods, segments in the continuous segment rod may also be arranged both without and with gaps so that unfilled cavities in finished rod-like articles are formed between the segments.

FIG. 3 shows an example sequence of a train ST of rod-like segments of the types A, B and C in the apparatus 2 for manufacturing multi-segment rods 6. The continuous multi-segment rod CR moving in a longitudinal direction T1 is cut by means of a cutting head 5 into multi-segment rods 6 shown in FIG. 4. The multi-segment rods 6 comprise such quantity of rod-like segments of the types A, B and C which is necessary to manufacture at least two finished multi-segment rod-like articles 25 shown in FIG. 5, thus they are semi-finished products. The multi-segment rod 6 consists of two halves of a segment of the type A, two segments of the type B and a segment of the type C. The multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 may be provided with a not shown measuring unit designed to check the quality of the manufactured multi-segment rods 6 and a rejection unit designed to reject defective multi-segment rods 6.

A multi-segment rod-like article 25 manufactured by the production system 1 comprises rod-like segments of the types A, B, C and D, whereas the end segment of the type D is attached in the end segment fixing apparatus 3. An example multi-segment rod-like article 25 consists of a half of a rod-like segment of the type A, a rod-like segment of the type B, a half of a rod-like segment of the type C and a half of the end segment of the type D. The rod-like segment of the type A may be designed for being lit, and the material contained in it, after being lit, may be used to heat the adjoining rod-like segment of the type B being an element generating an aerosol. The rod-like segment of the type C contains a tobacco material. The end segment of the type D is a filter-tip segment. The end segment of the type D may be a filtering element or a tube-shaped element.

In the production system 1, between the segment or multi-segment rod manufacturing apparatus 2 and the end segment fixing apparatus 3, there is situated a transferring apparatus 8 designed to change the movement direction of the multi-segment rods 6 from the longitudinal direction T1 to the movement in a transverse direction T2 (FIG. 1). The transferring apparatus 8 accomplishing such function is known for example from the U.S. Pat. No. 3,567,011 wherein the tobacco rods being cut off are transferred to the grooves of the drum conveyor. The transferring apparatus 8 is also known from the American U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,083. Moreover, it is also possible to transfer filter or tobacco rod-like rods according to the German patent application DE 3423570 A1, which discloses a drum conveyor, into the grooves of which the successive tobacco rods manufactured at the cigarette machine are thrown. As shown in FIG. 4a , the multi-segment rods 6 flow from the transferring apparatus 8 to the measuring unit 9 in the form of a stream 11 of individual multi-segment rods 6 manufactured on the apparatus 2. The stream 11 flows from the drum conveyor 10 belonging to the transferring apparatus 8 to the measuring unit 9 in which the multi-segment rods 6 may be transferred in the grooves of the drum conveyors. Any measuring device may be used in the measuring unit 9, for example the measurement by means of X-radiation may be used. As a result of conducted measurement of flowing multi-segment rods 6, the defective multi-segment rods 6 are rejected by means of the rejection unit 9A rejecting defective multi-segment rods 6; the rejection of defective multi-segment rods 6 was designated as a stream 12 of rejected rods which have failed the quality check. The rejection of defective multi-segment rods 6 may take place for example by means of compressed air which may throw defective multi-segment rods out of the grooves of the drum conveyor. The multi-segment rods 6 of good quality are transferred to a compensation unit 13 in the form of a flow 14, whereas the flow 14 may be a stream of individual multi-segment rods 6 or a mass flow of the multi-segment rods 6. The multi-segment rods 6 are further transferred to the end segment fixing apparatus 3, whereas the flow 15 may be a stream of individual multi-segment rods 6 as well as a mass flow of the multi-segment rods 6. The multi-segment rods 6 are fed onto the first drum conveyor 16 in the end segment fixing apparatus 3, whereas the feeding takes place continuously, i.e. one multi-segment rod 6 of the stream of individual multi-segment rods is fed into each groove of the drum conveyor 16. If it is necessary to ensure a greater efficiency of the production system 1, the multi-segment rods 6 may be fed in the form of a mass flow feeding the storage container 19 from which the multi-segment rods are delivered to the grooves of the drum conveyor 16. The drum conveyor 16 receiving the multi-segment rods 6 from the storage container 19 may be doubled. FIG. 4b shows the end segment fixing apparatus 3 provided with two drum conveyors 16, 16′ and two storage containers 19, 19′ receiving the mass flow 15. In the end segment fixing apparatus 3, the multi-segment rods 6 pass trough successive stages of the process as a result of which finished multi-segment rod-like articles 25 are manufactured. The flow 18 of multi-segment rod-like articles 25 from the last drum conveyor 17 may be transferred for example to the packer. The flow 18 may have the form of a stream of the individual rod-like articles 25 or the form of a mass flow of the rod-like articles 25. Within the measuring unit 9, the compensation unit 13 and the end segment fixing apparatus 3 the multi-segment rods 6 and the multi-segment rod-like articles 25 are conveyed in the transverse direction T2.

The course of the process taking place in the end segment fixing apparatus 3 was illustrated in a simplified way in FIG. 7 with reference to the multi-segment rod-like article 25. The multi-segment rods 6 are centred in order to determine the centres of the multi-segment rods 6 in one plane and cut into two parts 6A by means of a rotary knife 20, which was shown in FIG. 5 in Section a. The cut halves of the multi-segment rod 6 are elements 6A of the rod-like article which are coaxially parted, for example according to the solution disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,579 B1 and shown in FIG. 5 in Section b. In the space between the elements 6A of the rod-like article the end segment of the type D as shown in FIG. 5 in Section c, being a double filter-tip element for the manufactured multi-segment rod-like articles 25, is placed. Three elements forming the group 21, namely two elements 6A of the rod-like article together with the double end segment of the type D, are pushed together as shown in FIG. 5 in Section d, and centred so that the centre of each successive group 21 is in the same plane. Then a rectangular section 22 of the wrapping material is stuck on as shown in FIG. 5 in Section e, and the rectangular section 22 of the wrapping material is wrapped around so as to join the elements 6A of the rod-like article with the end segment of the type D as shown in FIG. 5 in Section f and as described in the patent EP 0 580 150 B1. Then the double rods 23 are centred and cut by means of the rotary knife 24 as shown in FIG. 5 in Section g, whereas the cut is made by cutting the end segment of the type D. The multi-segment rod-like articles 25 formed as a result of cutting of the double rods 23 move in two streams S1 and S2. The streams S1 and S2 may be joined as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,602A and transferred further in the form of one stream S on the drum conveyor 44 to the outlet of the filter-tip segment fixing apparatus from where they will be collected and delivered, for example to the packer.

FIG. 6 shows a similar process as shown in FIG. 5, whereas the continuous segment rod CR′ comprises segments E which are spaced in such a way that between them an unfilled cavity V is situated. The segment rod 6′ comprises one rod-like segment E and two cavities with a length equal to a half of the cavity V, while the multi-segment rod-like article 25′ comprises a half of the end segment of the type D, a half of the segment of the type E and a cavity with a length equal to a half of the length of the cavity V. The multi-segment rod-like article 25′ has the form of a paper core provided with a two-segment filter.

FIG. 7 shows a similar process as shown in FIG. 5, whereas the continuous segment rod CR″ comprises segments F which are spaced in such a way that between them a cavity W is situated. The segment rod 6″ comprises two halves of a rod-like segment F and the cavity W, while the multi-segment rod-like article 25″ comprises a half of the end segment of the type D, a half of the segment of the type F and a cavity with a length equal to a half of the length of the cavity W. 

1. Method for manufacturing of multi-segment rod-like articles (25, 25′, 25″) of the tobacco industry in an apparatus (2) for manufacturing multi-segment rods (6) or segment rods (6′, 6″) comprising the steps of: feeding rod-like segments of at least one kind (A, B, C, E, F) constituting a multi-segment rod-like article (25, 25′, 25″); putting together the rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F) in a segments train (ST) on a wrapping material (7); manufacturing a multi-segment rod (CR) or a continuous segment rod (CR′, CR″) containing the rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F) wrapped by the wrapping material (7), whereas the segments (A, B, C, E, F) are pushed together or cavities are left between the segments; and cutting the multi-segment rod (CR) or the continuous segment rod (CR′, CR″) into multi-segment rods (6) or segment rods (6′, 6″) containing any combination of rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F), double rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F) and halves of rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F), whereas at the time of the cutting of the continuous multi-segment rod (CR) or the continuous segment rod (CR′, CR″) the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) move in a longitudinal direction (T1); then changing the conveying direction of the multi-segment rod (6) or the segment rod (6′, 6″) from the longitudinal direction (T1) to a transverse direction (T2), and fixing end segments (D) to the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″), conveyed in the transverse direction (T2) in an end segment fixing apparatus (3) adapted to manufacture multi-segment rod-like articles (25, 25′, 25″), characterised in that after the change of the conveying direction of the multi-segment rod (6) or the segment rod (6′, 6″) from the longitudinal direction (T1) to the transverse direction (T2), and before fixing the end segment (D), a step of checking quality of the manufactured multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) is performed at a measuring unit (9) and defective multi-segment rods (6) or segment rods (6′, 6″) are rejected, next feeding the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) to a compensation unit (13) for storing the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) and for compensating the rejection of the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″), and then feeding the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) from the compensation unit (13) to the end segment fixing apparatus (3) so that the end segment fixing apparatus (3) is continuously fed with the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″).
 2. Method as in claim 1 characterised in that before the feeding the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) to the measuring unit (9) a step of checking quality of the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) and a step of rejecting defective multi-segment rods (6) or segment rods (6′, 6″) are performed at the apparatus (2) for manufacturing multi-segment rods (6) or segment rods (6′, 6″).
 3. Production system (1) for manufacturing of multi-segment rod-like articles (25, 25′, 25″) comprising: an apparatus (2) for manufacturing multi-segment rods (6) or segment rods (6′, 6″) comprising rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F) of at least one kind or double rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F) or halves of rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F) delivered and conveyed in a longitudinal direction (T1), whereas the segments in a continuous multi-segment rod (CR) or segment rod (CR′, CR″) from which the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) are cut are pushed together or cavities are left between the rod-like segments (A, B, C, E, F), an apparatus (8) for changing the conveying direction of the multi-segment rod (6) or the segment rod (6′, 6″) from the longitudinal direction (T1) to a transverse direction (T2), a measuring unit (9) for checking the quality of manufactured multi-segment rods (6) or segment rods (6′, 6″), a rejection unit (9A) for rejecting defective multi-segment rods (6) or segment rods (6′, 6″), and an end segment fixing apparatus (3) adapted to manufacture multi-segment rod-like articles (25, 25′, 25″) by fixing the end segments (D) to the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) conveyed in the transverse direction (T2), characterised in that the production system (1) comprises a compensation unit (13) for storing the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″), situated between the measuring unit (9) and the end segment fixing apparatus (3), adapted to compensate the rejection of the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″) so that the end segment fixing apparatus (3) is continuously fed with the multi-segment rods (6) or the segment rods (6′, 6″).
 4. System as in claim 3 characterised in that the apparatus (2) for manufacturing multi-segment rods (6) or segment rods (6′, 6″) is provided with a measuring unit and a rejection unit for rejecting defective segment rods (6′, 6″) or multi-segment rods (6). 